About Michael

Michael is one of Australia's highest profile psychologists working in all forms of media. A successful author, speaker, broadcaster and mental health advocate, Michael works in private practice in Melbourne.

Michael has been the recipient of a number of awards including the Australian Jaycees Outstanding Young Australian of the Year (1987), the New Zealand Commemoration Medal for Services to the Community (1990), and named Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International in recognition of his work in the prevention of youth suicide (1997) and again in 2021. 

“Young people may only be 17% of the population, but they are 100% of the future.”

ACHIEVEMENTS

Apart from establishing the teenage cancer patient’s society (Canteen) in 1984 with 5 teenage cancer patients, for which he was awarded one of 5 Outstanding Young Australians of the Year, the UNSW Alumni Award (1987 and 2007) and became the first Australian Psychologist to be featured on “This is Your Life” in 2000. Michael was one of the key people behind the political lobbying effort to establish the Smoke Free Environments Act in New Zealand. As the Director of the Coalition Against Tobacco Advertising, NZ enacted the toughest legislation in public health history at the time. He was also the inaugural Executive Director of the New Zealand Drug Foundation which led the fight to restrict alcohol advertising in New Zealand.

Michael established Australia’s first ever-Graduate Diploma in Adolescent Health and Welfare, while the Director of Education and Training at the Centre for Adolescent Health, at the Royal Children’s Hospital. in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Melbourne. In 2002/3 he and Dr Lena Sanci conducted a national training program with the Australian Division of General Practice (DR Link) training GP’s how to communicate with and assess young people.

He is one of the founding members of the National Coalition Against Bullying and was part of the charge in Australia on Boys Education and Middle school reform. In 2004 Michael published the first parenting book on cyber safety in Australia ‘Real Wired Child’ and was one of only two Australians to acquire the University of Central Lancashire University Certificate, in Child Safety on the Internet. He was a founding member of the National Centre Against Bullying and chairs their cybersafety committee.

In 2010 Michael was appointed the Queensland Government’s expert on anti-bullying and in 2012 became the first advocate of the digital licence concept for internet safety, an idea adopted later by the Alannah and Madeline Foundation and Google as the eSmart Digital Licence.

In 2016 Michael was appointed the Managing Director of the Young and Well CRC, an Australian-based, international research centre that united young people with researchers, practitioners and innovators from over 70 partner organisations, including VicHealth, to explore the role of technology in young people's lives, and how those technologies can be used to improve their wellbeing. While there, he wrote and launched the world’s first ever Certificate in Young People’s Mental Health and Technology. He became a pioneer in the use of smartphone apps and web-based programs to enhance adolescent mental health, presenting workshop for psychologists in Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong.

In 2017 in collaboration with psychologist and opera singer, Greta Bradman, Michael helped develop (through the Arts Centre Melbourne) a new mental health initiative in the entertainment industry, designed to foster long-term, sector-wide transformation.

In 2018 he worked with Price Waterhouse Cooper to launch the Green Light to Talk initiative in Australia designed to reduce stigma, increase awareness about support options and positively promote the importance of conversations about mental health at work. He also became an acredited trainer in Mental Health First Aid and has subsequently worked with Westpac, AMP and COBA.

In 2019 together with well known Melbourne food expert - Flip Shelton Michael published Smart Snacks the first Australian book for teenagers that encourages them to create simple, speedy recipes to help make the most of snacks every day without devoting hours to the process.

In June 2019, the NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes asked Michael to head a review in to the non-educational use of smartphones in schools, the first of its kind in Australia.The resulting report recommendations were taken up by Victoria, Tasmania and West Australia.

In 2019 Michael was appointed as the Federal Government’s representative on The Australian Children’s Television Foundation.

For 2020, Michael has collaborated with one of Australia’s leading executive coaches, best selling author and mother of 3, Brigitte Johnson owner of Brisbane consultancy Momentum First - to co-create Breakfast at Epiphanys - a talk to help people and organisations build mental and physical wellbeing for 2020. Find out more about Breakfast at Epiphany’s by emailing us here. Michael and Brigitte also provide Mental Health First Aid training for schools and organisations nationally and internationally. We also provide webinars to help school students, staff and parents manage the uncertain times that we live in.

BOARD AND COMMUNITY APPOINTMENTS

  • Patron, Read the Play 2019- Present Day

  • Board Member, The Australian Children’s Televison Foundation 2019 - 2022

  • Board Member, Australian Psychological Society 2015- 2017

  • Board Member, Family Peace Foundation 2016 - 2018

  • Board Member, Alannah and Madeline Foundation 2012 – 2015

  • Board Member, Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre 2010 – 2015

  • Board Member, Smiling Mind 2012 – 2016

  • Community Ambassador, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Australia

  • Ambassador, Playgroup Victoria

  • Political Liaison Officer, Australian Psychological Society 2011 - 2014

  • Treasurer, Australian Psychological Society, Melbourne Branch 2009 - 2015

Media Partnerships

Michael's extensive ongoing media experience includes

  • 2015 - 2018: Columnist, Huffington Post Australia

  • 2005 – 2018: Columnist New Idea, Girlfriend Magazines

  • 2005 – Present: Program Psychologist, Sunrise on Seven Channel 7,

  • 2005 – Present: Program Psychologist, 3AW Radio Melbourne Southern Cross

  • 2003 – 2009: Columnist, Herald Sun

  • 1999 – 2004: Program Psychologist Nine network Today Show.

  • 2000 – Subject of This is Your Life – Channel 9

  • 1995 –1999: Program Psychologist Seven’s 11 am Program

  • 1997 – 1998: Program Psychologist ABC 774 Jon Faine Program

  • 1996 – 1997: Program Psychologist Radio 3AK John Blackman Show